islcollective worksheets preintermediate a2 intermediate b1 upperintermediate b2 adults high school reading writing pass 212917042255f7c8d07ed102 49351805

Working with the text (Sir Isaac Newton)
I Complete the text with the correct past tense form of the verbs in brackets (active or
passive).
Sir Isaac Newton 1 _____ (be) often so deeply interested in difficult problems that he 2__________
(become) quite absent-minded. One day a gentleman 3_________ (come) to see him, but 4_________
(tell) that Sir Isaac 5______________ (be) busy in his study since that morning, and that nobody 6
___________ (allow) to disturb him.
As it was dinner time, the visitor 7 ____ (sit) down in the dining room to wait for the scientist. The
servant 8 _______ (come) and 9 __________ (place) a boiled chicken under a cover on the table. The
gentleman, feeling very hungry, 10 ______ (eat) the chicken, and covering up the skeleton, 11
________ (ask) the servant to prepare another one for his master.
Before the second chicken was ready the scientist 12___________ (enter) the room, apologizing for
his delay. Then Sir Isaac 13________ (add) that as he 14 ________ (feel) rather tired and hungry, he
15 __________ (hope) that the visitor 16 _____________ (excuse) him a little longer, and after dinner
he 17____________ (be) at the gentleman’s service. With those words Newton 18 _________ (lift) the
cover, without any emotion 19__________ (turn) round to his visitor and 20 __________ (say) that
what a strange set the scientists 21 ________ (be), as he himself quite 22____________ (forget) that he
23________________ (dine) already!
At this moment the servant 24____________ (bring) in the other chicken. The visitor
25___________
(explain) how matters 26_______________ (stand). After a hearty laugh, the hungry scientist 27
______
(sit) down to dine.
II Complete the sentence in an appropriate
way

III Choose the sentence (1-4) which you think best
fits the story.

The text describes how__________

1 He was busy in his study when a visitor came.
2 Newton was interested in the problem of cooking.
3 An absent-minded visitor came to see Newton.
4 The gentleman was allowed to disturb Newton
when he was having dinner.

1 the visitor studied the skeleton of the
chicken
2 Isaac Newton had dinner with his visitor.
3 the great physicist worked in his study.
4 Isaac Newton forgot if he had had
dinner.
IV Choose the sentence (1-4) which
doesn’t fit the story.
1The visitor waited for Newton in the
dining room.
2 The servant put a boiled chicken on the
table.
3 An hour later Newton did not appear.
4 The visitor ate the chicken and cooked
another one.
VI Find antonyms of these words in
the text.
1 attentive, practical
______________
2 be forbidden, __________________
3 to drop, lower
__________________
4 despair, doubt
__________________

5 to subtract, remove
_____________
6 raw (meat) ____________________
7 to calm, quiet

V Choose the best heading to the text.
1 A Visit to Sir Isaac Newton.
2 An Absent-Minded Scientist.
3 A Hard Working Scientist.
4 A Pleasant Dinner.

VII Find the similar words or expressions in the
text and write them next to these words.
1 make or be slow or
late______________________
2 express regret for
something__________________
3 any strong feeling
__________________________
4 a caller, guest
______________________________
5 make something easier to understand
__________
6 a thing that is put over something to hide it,
protect it, or close it _________________________
7 a person working for others _________________


KEY
Exercise I

Sir Isaac Newton 1 was often so deeply interested in difficult problems that he 2 became quite
absent-minded. One day a gentleman 3 came to see him, but 4 was told that Sir Isaac 5 had
been busy in his study since that morning, and that nobody 6 was allowed to disturb him.
As it was dinner time, the visitor 7 sat down in the dining room to wait for the scientist. The servant
8 came and 9 placed a boiled chicken under a cover on the table. The gentleman, feeling very
hungry, 10 ate the chicken, and covering up the skeleton, 11 asked the servant to prepare another
one for his master.
Before the second chicken was ready the scientist 12 entered the room, apologizing for his delay.
Then Sir Isaac 13 added that as he 14 felt rather tired and hungry, he 15 hoped that the visitor
16 would excuse him a little longer, and after dinner he 17 would be at the gentleman’s
service. With those words Newton 18 lifted the cover, without any emotion 19turned round to his
visitor and 20 said that what a strange set the scientists 21 were. As he himself quite 22forgot
that he 23 had dined already!
At this moment the servant 24 brought in the other chicken. The visitor 25 explained how
matters 26 stood. After a hearty laugh, the hungry scientist 27 sat down to dine.

Exercise II 4
Exercise III 1
Exercise IV 4
Exercise V 2
Exercise VI
1 absent-minded
2 be allowed
3 to lift
4 hope
5 to add
6 boiled
7 to disturb
Exercise VII
1 delay

2 apologize
3 emotion
4 a visitor
5 explain
6 a cover
7 a servant